States Spending the Most and Least on Gambling

Illinois was home to 10 commercial casinos, as well as more than 7,000 locations with electronic gaming devices in 2019. Commercial casinos in the state reported $1.4 billion in revenue in 2019, down 1.5% from the previous year. Tax revenue generated by casino gambling totalled $455.2 million the same year, also 1.5% below the previous year’s level. The bulk of casino revenue collected by the state goes towards Illinois’ Education Assistance Fund, and the remainder to local governments that host commercial casinos. The declines were attributed to the uptick in gaming machines in bars and taverns across the state.

Lotto ticket spending in Illinois totaled $3.0 billion in 2019, which, in combination with commercial casino spending, totaled $4.3 billion — or $439 per adult.

Casinos are prohibited in South Carolina. Despite the restrictive gambling laws, per capita spending on gambling in the state rivals spending in states with many more opportunities for wagering.

South Carolinians spent $1.8 billion on lottery tickets in 2019, more than in all but 14 other states. Adjusting for the state’s adult population, per capita lotto ticket sales totaled $456, more than in all but eight other states.

Though there are two tribal casinos in Connecticut — Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods — there are no commercial casinos. These establishments had a combined 7,499 gaming machines as of 2019.

Gambling revenue that benefits the state comes exclusively from lottery ticket sales. Connecticut has a wide variety of lottery games, and residents spent a total of $1.3 on lotto tickets in 2019, or $470 per adult.

There are no casinos — tribal or commercial — in Georgia. Despite the relatively strict gambling laws, Georgia’s lottery, which was approved by voters in 1992, is among the most popular in the country. Lotto ticket sales totalled $4.3 billion in 2019, more than in all but five other states. Lotto spending per adult in the state totaled $525 per adult, more per capita than in all but four states.

Georgia is the only state without any commercial casinos where gambling expenditures exceed $500 per adult.

There are four commercial casinos in Ohio and another seven commercial racinos. Commercial casino spending in the Buckeye State hit an all-time high of $1.9 billion in 2019, generating nearly $650 million in tax revenue. Much of that money goes towards funding local government operations, and the second largest share goes towards the Ohio Student Fund.

Ohio residents spent an additional $3.1 billion on lottery tickets and games in 2019. Between commercial casinos and the state lottery, gambling expenditures totalled $5.1 billion in Ohio in 2019, or $557 for every adult resident.